Commentary Archive
Chronicling Aimee Mann’s Film Accomplishments
March 24, 2013
Aimee Mann has always kept her hand on the pulse of the music and film scenes, maintaining relevance and influence through consistent solo releases, film soundtrack work, and wacky cameos. While her music has always been strongly written while touting hook-filled accessibility, her forays into avant-garde and quirky cinema and TV have helped make Mann
How “Single Ladies” Became Beyonce’s Most Iconic Video
March 23, 2013
Notable for being the first time Beyoncé showcased her onstage alter ego, Sasha Fierce, “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” was greeted with a mixed response when it premiered on the same day as the far more melodic “If I Were A Boy” back in October 2008. Produced by Tricky Stewart and The Dream,
Why South by Southwest Music Festival Just Isn’t Worth It
March 22, 2013
The 2013 edition of the South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival is officially in the books. The craziness that descended on Austin for the week brought the music industry and all its glory. There were thousands of bands playing in hundreds of venues in this drunken orgy of music. This was our first year covering
Under the Radar Artists to Check Out at SXSW 2013
March 8, 2013
South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual treat for fans of all media in Austin, Texas. One of few festivals to serve as a major player in the music AND film industries, SXSW features plenty of big name performances from the likes of Green Day, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.
Five Must-Follow Musicians On Twitter
March 3, 2013
A whole host of artists use Twitter to simply promote their latest album or tour while just as many use it merely to vainly retweet any messages of support from their adoring fan base. But some utilize it as an extension of their personality rather than solely a marketing tool, often providing more entertainment in
Can Justin Timberlake Resurrect MySpace?
March 2, 2013
For anyone who ventured onto the online wasteland that was MySpace in 2012, it seemed impossible to imagine that the social networking platform was once the most popular in the world. It seems crazier still that Rupert Murdoch paid an incredible $580 million for it in 2005, and it even surpassed Google as America’s most
Has BamaJam Music Festival 2013 Been Cancelled?
March 2, 2013
One of country music’s best festivals returned to Enterprise, Alabama from hiatus last year. BamaJam first strut onto the festival scene in 2008 and has boasted acts like Taylor Swift, Blake Shelton, Kenny Chesney, Kid Rock and Zac Brown Band during its evolution. BamaJam hasn’t always managed to skirt controversy though as the 2011 event
Why Are Nickelback So Hated?
February 24, 2013
Second only to The Beatles when it comes to the 2000s biggest-selling foreign act on the Billboard charts, Canadian quintet Nickelback have also sold 50 million records, picked up 12 Juno Awards and scored two number one albums in the US since arriving on their Hanna hometown’s rock circuit in 1996. And yet there appears
The Influence of Alice In Chains
February 23, 2013
Perhaps it’s the fact that they never had a genuine crossover hit in the shape of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” or “Black Hole Sun,” or maybe it’s because their constant themes of depression, suicide and drug addiction were just too dark and nihilistic for some, likewise Layne Staley’s long-running and eventually fatal battle with heroin,
Greatest Guitarists of All Time
February 17, 2013
It’s a daunting task to list the greatest guitarists of all time. But these particular five have influenced legions of artists through sheer innovation and wonderful playing, touting both virtuosity and melodic wit in their unique craft. From the 1930s (Robert Johnson) to today (Sonic Youth), their influences are so great many aspiring guitarists immediately
